Carl W. Kenney II is an award winning columnist and novelist. He is committed to engaging readers into a meaningful discussion related to matters that impact faith and society. He grapples with pondering the impact faith has on public space while seeking to understand how public space both hinders and enhances the walk of faith.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A lesson on power and privilege

Illustration from BKNation.org

Every now and
then I’m forced to step away from my writing and reflect on comments made by
readers.I rarely respond to what people
write.It’s a policy I implemented years
ago to allow readers to go at it without my intrusion.That doesn’t mean I’m not reading.I do.I laugh, sometimes I cry, and there are days I take a few
deep breaths before screaming – y’all don’t get it.

My last blog
about white privilege is an example of my desire to yell at readers.To their credit, the confusion may be the fault
of the author – that would be me – due to the introduction of conceptions that
require a more profound explanation.

So, let’s go
to class on the meaning of privilege.Take notes.Be patient, and
prepare to apply the teaching as you seek to embrace diversity.

To begin,
privilege is not a condition of selection.It is not limited to philosophy or political position.Privilege is not something you can remove
with effort.It comes with being
you.As much as you regret having to
claim your privilege, it comes with being born with, or acculturated within an
institution of privilege.

White
privilege is given at birth.It opens
doors, extends benefits and assigns merit for no other reason than the
advantage of being born that way. You can’t denounce white privilege.Association with radical positions and
disassociation with extreme positions doesn’t lead to the forfeiture of
privilege. It comes with being born
white, and your life is both measured and rewarded based on that privilege.

Got that? On
to point two.

There are
numerous forms of privilege. Some are physiological while others depend on the
environment of the moment.There is gender
privilege, age privilege and heterosexual privilege.Each weighs heavy on the way people are
affirmed or marginalized in their pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.Privilege extends to
attraction, mental well-being, and the lack of privilege shows up for those
with mental illness and disabilities.

Privilege can
exist among those accustomed to unfair treatment.There’s black privilege when the majority in
the room are black.When that shows up,
privilege isn’t about perception within a broader context, but how being the
majority affords advantages that others miss.My black privilege shows up within the context of worship in a predominately
black church.My black male privilege
supports my personal agenda when a seek leadership within a black church.My black, male, heterosexual privilege grants
me power, influence and authority if I promote an anti-gay agenda within the
black church.

Privilege is used to subjugate others. This often shows up as an unconscious
action.The benefits associated with privilege
are extended lacking perception.Privilege doesn’t require participation. Advancement associated with
privilege is laden in a myriad of historical and cultural actualities.
Unwrapping how privilege impacts the ability to maneuver through systems is
critical in advancing diversity.

Owning ones
privilege is decisive in releasing the power that comes with privilege.Personally, my list of privilege is
vast.Some of the things on my list have
to be filtered through the context of a particular setting.I hold education privilege as a person with
graduate degrees.Although my position
of privilege exists within a broad community context, my lack of race privilege
limits my ability to utilize the normative power associated with such
privilege. My lack of normative advancement, comparative to those with white
privilege, is construed as supreme privilege when juxtaposed within the context
of black culture.

There is
power that comes with privilege.This is
a truth that can’t be surmounted by simple will or association with groups that
confront the advantages of privilege.My
willingness to listen to and embrace feminist and womanist ideology isn’t
enough to counteract the advantage of my male privilege.My being an advocate of LBGTQ rights isn’t
enough to undo the advantages of my heterosexual privilege.

The power
that comes with my privilege requires ongoing introspection related to how I
function as a person holding advantages.Although privilege is something often given without demand, how I
function with that privilege may limit the progression of others.I’m constantly examining ways in which I use
my privileges to hinder others.

Many would
rather assume they hold no privilege.Conceding
the ownership of privilege is difficult when one considers it a function of
will.It is challenging for some to
consider their advantages due to how history shows up as a reminder of
ongoing negation.

All of us
hold privilege. For some, there is power that comes with that privilege.

Now that we
have that out of the way, take a look at your own privilege.

1 comment:

If this was only widely accepted and understood, we would have a different world instantaneously. Now the implementation of widespread education on this, would be a worthy endeavor. Bravo for sharing this knowledge, Carl.

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Carl W. Kenney II

Carl was named the best serious columnist of 2011 by the North Carolina Press Association for his work with the News & Observer's community paper The Durham News and in 2016 by the Missouri Press Association for his columns in the Columbia Missourian. He is a columnist with the News & Observer and Co-Executive Producer of "God of the Oppressed" an upcoming documentary film on black liberation theology. He is a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Missouri - School of Journalism and Adjunct Instructor at Duke University, the Center for Documentary Studies. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He furthered his education at Duke University and attained a Master of Divinity. He was named a Fellow in Pastoral Leadership Development at the Princeton Theological Seminary on May 14, 2005. He is a freelance writer with his commentary appearing in The Washington Post, Religious News Services,The Independent Weekly and The Durham Herald-Sun. Carl is the author of two novels: “Preacha’ Man” and the sequel “Backslide”.
He has led congregations in Missouri and North Carolina